Delaware State University
Delaware State University is a private HBCU founded in 1891 in Dover, Delaware, offering 60+ undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs across four colleges to students from 39 states and 34 countries, with NCAA Division I athletics and a Wesley College of Health & Behavioral Sciences acquired in 2021.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1891
- HeadquartersDover, United States
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Delaware State University does
Delaware State University is a private, nonprofit historically Black college and university (HBCU) founded in 1891 and headquartered on a 356-acre campus in Dover, Delaware. The institution delivers more than 60 undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs across four academic colleges: the College of Agriculture, Science & Technology; the College of Humanities, Education & Social Sciences; the College of Business; and the Wesley College of Health & Behavioral Sciences (acquired from Wesley College in 2021). DSU serves a student body drawn from 39 states and 34 countries, with a 17:1 student-to-faculty ratio, 14 residential halls, and NCAA Division I athletics in the MEAC Conference. The university is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, with the College of Business holding ACBSP accreditation and the social work programs holding CSWE accreditation (the only such programs in Delaware).
DSU operates a multi-channel distribution model anchored on its main Dover campus, supplemented by DSU Downtown and DSU Wilmington extension sites, military education programs at Dover Air Force Base, international joint-degree programs (notably with Ningbo University of Technology in China since 2011), and the HBCU Early College Prep High School in Queens, NY. In 2026, DSU announced a partnership with Risepoint to launch 25 online undergraduate and graduate degree programs in Fall 2026 through the eHBCU Consortium, extending reach to working adult learners nationally. The technology stack includes the Canvas LMS, ALEKS adaptive math placement, EAB Navigate student success platform, and specialized research centers (DNA Core, OSCAR Imaging, Cell Electrophysiology).
Revenue is generated across eight streams: tuition and fees (undergraduate, graduate, doctoral, in-state, out-of-state), financial aid administration, federal and state research grants and sponsored programs, NCAA Division I athletics revenue, housing and dining services, continuing education and professional development, auxiliary services, and gifts and endowments. Significant disclosed grant inflows include an $18.36 million NIH award (2022), a $1 million Barclays Corporate Banking grant (2021), $709,000 from the JPMorgan Chase Foundation (2023), a $300,000 US Department of Commerce EDA award (2020), and a three-year $1 million grant supporting the AHRI coalition (2026). DSU co-founded the Association of HBCU Research Institutions (AHRI), a coalition of 15 HBCUs representing 50% of competitively awarded federal research funding among HBCUs and pursuing R1 Carnegie Classification.
Delaware State University firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Delaware State University
- Legal name
- Delaware State University
- Website
- https://desu.edu
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1891
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 501–1,000 employees
- Short description
- Delaware State University is a private HBCU founded in 1891 in Dover, Delaware, offering 60+ undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs across four colleges to students from 39 states and 34 countries, with NCAA Division I athletics and a Wesley College of Health & Behavioral Sciences acquired in 2021.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Delaware State University industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Higher Education
- NAICS
- Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Educational Services (61)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Graduate & Professional-Program HBCUs (e.g., law/education/business) (EDAHAMAK)
Keywords
Where Delaware State University is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Dover
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
Delaware State University business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain
Revenue model
- Tuition and Fees: Revenue from undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral program tuition and mandatory fees. In-state and out-of-state tuition rates apply with financial aid available.
- Financial Aid Services: Distribution of federal grants (Pell, SEOG), federal loans, state grants, and institutional scholarships to students
- Research Grants and Sponsored Programs: Federal and state funding for research activities including $543,000 grants for research infrastructure and AHRI coalition funding
- Athletics Revenue: Revenue from NCAA Division I sports programs including ticket sales, media rights, and HBCU Classic events
- Housing and Dining Services: On-campus housing in 14 residential halls and dining services for residential students
- Continuing Education and Professional Development: Non-degree programs, certificate programs, military education, and workforce development offerings
- Auxiliary Services: Campus bookstore, events, facilities rental, and other auxiliary enterprises
- Gifts and Endowments: Donations from alumni, corporations, and foundations including planned giving and scholarship endowments
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | In-State Undergraduate Tuition |
| Subscription | Annual | Out-of-State Undergraduate Tuition |
| Subscription | Annual | Graduate Programs |
| Subscription | Annual | Housing and Dining |
| Subscription | Annual | Military/Veteran Programs |
| Other | Annual | Financial Aid and Scholarships |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels10 records
Delaware State University product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Delaware State University is an HBCU offering more than 60 undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degree programs across four academic colleges, plus online degree delivery, continuing education, workforce development, and NCAA Division I athletics. It also operates military education programs at Dover Air Force Base, dual-enrollment high school partnerships, and an international joint degree program in China.
Product overview
Delaware State University is an educational institution offering a comprehensive portfolio of academic programs across 4 colleges with over 60 undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs. The university's product portfolio includes DSU Online for distance education, the eHBCU Consortium partnership for 25 online degree programs, the Wesley College of Health & Behavioral Sciences (offering nursing, psychology, public health, and social work programs), the College of Business (with various specialized centers), and Aviation programs with flight training. The university also offers a mobile app (DSU Hub) for student access to campus services.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Wesley College of Health & Behavioral Sciences: A college within DSU focusing on health services, psychology, and social work disciplines, formerly Wesley College before acquisition.
- College of Business
Quantifiable outcome
- Top 100 ranking in Social Mobility by U.S. News & World Report
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Delaware State University
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
Delaware State University technology and API
TechnologyAPI detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Delaware State University partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- RisepointcorePartnership with education technology company Risepoint to support 25 online undergraduate and graduate degree programs launching Fall 2026. Programs span business, healthcare, public service, and social sciences disciplines targeting working adults and learners seeking career advancement while addressing workforce needs in Delaware.
- GoogleminorDSU Military & Veterans Team encouraging military-connected students to participate in Google Veterans Career Week 2026, a free virtual professional development and networking event for career guidance.
- Association of HBCU Research Institutions (AHRI)coreDSU is a founding member of AHRI, a national coalition of 15 HBCUs to accelerate research excellence, expand institutional capacity, and elevate HBCU leadership in addressing societal challenges. Coalition aims to increase number of HBCUs achieving R1 Carnegie Classification. Member institutions account for 50% of competitively awarded federal research funding among HBCUs.
- Wesley CollegecoreDSU completed acquisition of Wesley College in 2021, integrating it as Wesley College of Health & Behavioral Sciences. This strategic transaction expanded DSU's presence in health sciences education.
- Facebook (Meta)minorDSU College of Business student Gregory Moore selected for Facebook HBCU Business Student Summit, joining 24 other HBCU students for professional development and networking.
- Ningbo University of Technology (NBUT)coreJoint accounting degree program established in 2011. Students can earn diplomas from both institutions. Over 500 graduates have completed the program. 19 of 94 graduates from a single cohort were accepted into top 50 universities worldwide.
- eHBCU ConsortiumcoreDelaware State University is a member of the eHBCU Consortium, an alliance of historically Black colleges and universities working to make the HBCU experience more accessible through flexible online degree programs.
- Piedmont AirlinescoreAviation program partnership for airline career preparation and training.
- Philadelphia EaglesminorPartnership for HBCU Classic football game at Lincoln Financial Field. Event drew over 47,000 attendees and discussions are underway to make it an annual event.
- Education Health and Research International (EHRI)coreCo-host of Delaware Geriatric Workforce Enhancement Program (GWEP) Symposium. EHRI is a key partner in federally funded initiative to strengthen Delaware's healthcare workforce through education and evidence-based approaches.
- Milford Wellness VillageminorHealthcare partner in GWEP initiative, representing integrated care model bringing healthcare, education, wellness, and community services together.
- Beebe HealthcareminorHealthcare system partner participating in GWEP initiative through exhibits and resource tables.
- UNCF, XQ Institute, TranscendcoreCoalition partners for HBCU Early College Prep High School in Queens, NY - first early college high school in NYC modeled after HBCUs. Partnership offers guaranteed admission to DSU for graduates earning up to 64 college credits.
- U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)minorSBA partnership recommendations include infrastructure development, alumni/community entrepreneurship support, and student business engagement through innovation labs and SBIR/STTR programs.
Scale indicators14 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Delaware State University competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Howard University: Washington DC-based private HBCU with comprehensive undergraduate/graduate/doctoral programs, NCAA D-I athletics, and significant federal research funding. Closest direct peer in mission, scale, and HBCU research positioning.
- North Carolina A&T State University: Public HBCU with comprehensive programs across four colleges, NCAA D-I MEAC athletics (same conference as DSU), strong STEM research, and a similar mid-sized comprehensive HBCU profile.
- Morgan State University: Maryland-based HBCU with comparable size, doctoral programs, NCAA D-I MEAC athletics, and active federal research grant profile. Geographic and programmatic parallel.
- Hampton University: Private HBCU with multiple colleges, NCAA D-I athletics, and similar 130+ year history of comprehensive undergraduate/graduate education. Comparable mission and scale.
- Tuskegee University: Private HBCU with comparable size, comprehensive colleges including business and sciences, NCAA D-I athletics, and an emphasis on workforce development and STEM research.
- Florida A&M University: Public HBCU with comprehensive programs, NCAA D-I MEAC athletics (same conference as DSU), doctoral offerings, and significant research activity—comparable scale and footprint.
Regional players
- Bowie State University: Maryland-based HBCU with comparable program mix, NCAA D-II athletics, and a focus on workforce development in the mid-Atlantic. Regional peer with overlapping student geographies.
- University of Maryland Eastern Shore: Public HBCU in the mid-Atlantic region with comparable size, NCAA D-I athletics, and similar land-grant research mission. Closest geographic and structural peer in Delaware's region.
- Coppin State University: Maryland-based HBCU with smaller scale than DSU but overlapping mid-Atlantic student market, NCAA D-I MEAC athletics, and similar urban/extended-education locations model.
Others
- Wesley College (former independent): Former independent institution in Dover acquired by DSU in 2021; now operates as Wesley College of Health & Behavioral Sciences within DSU. Historical reference for the integrated entity.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Delaware State University social profiles
Digital presenceDelaware State University compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
Delaware State University financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Delaware State University leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Delaware State University subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries3 records
Delaware State University funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds5 records
Investors5 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Delaware State University M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Delaware State University
What does Delaware State University do?
Delaware State University is an HBCU offering more than 60 undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degree programs across four academic colleges, plus online degree delivery, continuing education, workforce development, and NCAA Division I athletics. It also operates military education programs at Dover Air Force Base, dual-enrollment high school partnerships, and an international joint degree program in China.
Is Delaware State University a public or private company?
Delaware State University is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Delaware State University founded?
Delaware State University was founded in 1891. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is Delaware State University based?
Delaware State University is headquartered in Dover, United States, in the North America region.
How does Delaware State University make money?
Eight revenue lines are on record. Tuition and Fees are the primary driver. The others are financial Aid Services, research Grants and Sponsored Programs, athletics Revenue, housing and Dining Services, continuing Education and Professional Development, auxiliary Services and gifts and Endowments.
Who are Delaware State University's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Howard University, North Carolina A&T State University, Morgan State University, Hampton University, Tuskegee University and Florida A&M University. Regional players are Bowie State University, University of Maryland Eastern Shore and Coppin State University. Wesley College (former independent) is listed as an others.
Does Delaware State University have an API?
No public API is recorded for Delaware State University.
What industry is Delaware State University in?
Delaware State University's product category is Higher Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAHAMAK, Graduate & Professional-Program HBCUs (e.g., law/education/business). Its NAICS code is 6113 and its SIC code is 8200.